2013 ford mustang Reviews and News

At times, the Mustang versus Camaro storyline is as sophisticated as The Itchy and Scratchy Show, the television-show-within-a-television-show created for Matt Groening's jaundiced, cartoon American family. While these two pony cars take turns playing tireless cat or ruthless mouse, one thing remains constant: they fight (They fight. They fight, they fight, they fight. Fight, fight, fight! Fight, fight, fight!) with little purpose other than antagonizing the other or settling the score.

A recap from previous episodes: Ford finds a large audience for a retro-styled pony car, Chevrolet builds a retro-styled Camaro. Ford finally drums up some decent engines for the Mustang, Chevrolet gives the V-6 Camaro an 8-hp bump without touching the engine. Chevrolet builds a high-tech masterpiece that's more sports car than muscle car, Ford throws down the most powerful production V-8 engine and a 200-mph top speed.

We've already refereed two rounds of this tit-for-tat squabble and picked winners on both sides. If you're buying for cheap performance with a run-of-the-mill V-6 or V-8 model, 'Stang beats Camaro. If you have the scratch for a Porsche and the discerning tastes of a newly licensed teenager, we rank the Camaro ZL1 ahead of Ford's Shelby GT500. But the greatest pony car of them all has claimed its title without using a single stick of cartoon dynamite. The Ford Mustang Boss 302 delivers a level of driver involvement that's not just unmatched among 1960s-styled two-doors; it's among the best in the wider world of cars. And since it's positioned between the Mustang GT and the Shelby GT500, the Boss occupies a space that Chevrolet hasn't contested.

Until now.

The Camaro's counterattack

And so we have yet another episode of The Camaro and Mustang Show. Same characters, same conflict, new antics. Given the history between these two, it's no surprise that Chevy wouldn't lie still while Ford pushed its pot of skin-melting acid into position. Instead, the engineers at GM readied their own attack, sharpening the handling and strengthening the drivetrain of the Camaro SS with the 1LE. Their answer isn't a unique model like the Boss, but rather an optional equipment package that can be added to manual-transmission SS models. 1LE cars pack the same 426-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 found in the SS but add larger anti-roll bars, stiffer dampers, a close-ratio gearbox, a shorter final drive, a strut-tower brace, a transmission cooler, and stickier tires. At face value, the changes suggest incremental improvements in handling and acceleration, but when driven, the 1LE reveals a much more significant transformation.

Perhaps that shouldn't come as a surprise, since engineers worked backward from the divine $54,995 Camaro ZL1, transferring both knowledge and a few parts to the 1LE. Most noticeably, the ZL1's front tires -- 285/35ZR-20 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2s -- are used at all four corners of the 1LE with profound effect. The ultra-high-performance summer tires offer gobs of grip while the identical sizes front and rear reduce the Camaro's proclivity for understeer. With equal credit going to the revised suspension, high-g cornering in the 1LE bears little resemblance to that of the 2011 Camaro SS. That car rolled, wallowed, understeered, and generally disappointed when it was flogged around the track. Winning our respect back, the 1LE remains surprisingly flat in corners with less body roll and more front-end grip than the Boss Mustang. And while the suspension changes keep understeer at bay, neither is the 1LE an oversteering lunatic. This Camaro can be pitched, chucked, and hurled into corners with reckless abandon and it remains a well-behaved, easily controlled pony.

All SS models adopt electric power steering for 2013, a welcome change over the dull hydraulic setup of last year's car. The Camaro now steers with sharper on-center response and more immediate turn-in (thank those tires again), though there is room for improvement. With less weight in the nose than the ZL1, the 1LE has a feeling of lightness in the steering wheel that weakens the connection between driver and road. In all, the tidier steering and handling of the 1LE package shrinks the Camaro -- at least in terms of perception. The 1LE feels smaller than a regular SS on the track, yet not as nimble as the Mustang. The 1LE is still haunted by tortured sight lines and its inescapable 3860-pound weight.

While the small-block V-8 makes the same 426 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque as the SS, the 1LE accelerates more quickly thanks to a new transmission that puts first through fourth gears closer together and a shorter final-drive ratio. That gearbox also includes a new shifter -- borrowed from the ZL1 -- with slightly longer throws and a nicely shaped shift knob. The Camaro's powertrain is hardy and robust, yet tamer and calmer than the Boss's unruly 5.0-liter. To get closer to the Mustang's bad-boy attitude, every 1LE buyer will want to make sure their car is equipped with the $895 active exhaust for a deeper, louder note on startup and under hard acceleration.

Who's the Boss?

In contrast to the Camaro's traditional torquey V-8, the Mustang is a hopped-up screamer, spinning 1100 rpm higher and hitting its 444-hp peak at 7400 rpm. Don't expect any apologies that the 1LE has 40 lb-ft of torque on the Boss, though. Power delivery is linear and precise and the Mustang has character and personality that go far deeper than the Camaro. The 5.0-liter lopes at idle, snorts at tip-in, and thunders under full throttle. And when you remove the restrictor plates from the side-exit exhaust pipes, the effects are even more intoxicating. Chevy's active exhaust system politely turns down the volume when you're cruising, and we'd caution that the Boss's amplified gurgle could get annoying on the highway -- if it didn't sound so damn good.

The Mustang's gearing is even more aggressive than the Camaro's, bringing the mixed blessing of more frequent shifting. The stiff and tight shifter looks cool and it's fun to strong-arm a fast upshift on the street. The flip side is that you'll be busier on the track and the claustrophobic gate spacing makes for cumbersome downshifts when you're in a hurry. The Camaro's shifter, with more space between gates, is far friendlier. We do appreciate the Mustang's superior visibility and the optional Recaro buckets that hold you firmly through high-speed sweepers. Unfortunately, these ergonomic advantages are negated by the nontelescoping steering wheel, which puts taller drivers uncomfortably close to the dashboard.

That's too bad, because the connection between driver and car is otherwise uncanny in the Boss 302. Handling is predictable but hardly conservative. The rear end is quite loose and the front tires will push to the outside of a corner if they aren't coaxed into a turn. These could be negatives, but the Boss communicates so clearly to the driver through the vibrations in the seat, the quiet squeal of the tires, and the heft of the steering wheel that it's easy to toe the limit of traction without feeling like you're going to lose it. The Pirelli PZero tires aren't quite as sticky as the 1LE's Goodyears and the Boss's edgier handling requires you to exercise the brakes harder to set up for corner entry. And even when you're not lapping as fast as the 1LE, you'll find yourself working more to get a clean lap. So while the Camaro is the faster car around a road course, the Boss is the more engaging and entertaining car. It's a challenge to drive perfectly and a riot to drive with the rear tires billowing smoke.

A matter of heart over head.

As different as these two cars are, this showdown is as close as it comes to a stalemate. All rational thinking puts the Camaro ahead of the Mustang. In addition to being the faster car, it's also significantly cheaper than the Boss. As a $3500 option on top of the SS's $33,535 starting price, the 1LE undercuts the Boss by a whopping $5960. Yet while you're turning faster laps in the 1LE, you'll be yearning for the involvement and the specialness of the Mustang. Everything that the Camaro package addresses -- body roll, gearing, and handling behavior -- were complaints we had about the SS back in 2010. The 1LE package comes off as a fix for what was broken rather than improving on an already excellent car. That's what the Boss 302 does.

The raucous Mustang installs itself in your subconscious with the viciousness of a drug addiction. Despite knowing there's an objectively better alternative with a Chevy badge, we are lured back to the Boss again and again. Its responsive chassis, competent handling, and brawny engine strike us in a psychological weak spot where emotions overrule sensibilities. We'd never question someone for making the rational choice of a Camaro SS 1LE, but reason be damned, the Boss 302 is the car we want.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: 200 mph is an absurd number. Jet airliners take off and land at slower speeds. 200 mph is twice as fast as most Americans will ever drive, and it requires twenty-five times the power needed to go 60 mph. The staff of this magazine has driven some of the fastest, most exotic cars in the world, and yet only two of us -- European bureau chief Georg Kacher and contributor Ezra Dyer -- have driven 200 mph.

The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 can do 200 mph. Yes, that's right. We now have a 200-mph Mustang. By deductive reasoning, the Shelby is absurd. And it's surprising, since the GT500 appears just as we were thinking Ford had gone all yuppie with the Boss 302 -- the impressively multidimensional Mustang that's so well-rounded it could conceivably find its way into the garage of a BMW owner.

The GT500, on the other hand, has one purpose: to go fast. The Shelby can hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and blow through the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds at 125 mph, and it's got the most powerful series-production V-8 ever. Yep, the 2013 Shelby GT500 is the biggest, baddest bragging machine this side of a Chevy Corvette ZR1 or an SRT Viper -- especially since it costs less than either and has more horsepower than both.

The outcome of a twenty-month development project, the GT500 was engineered to meet three main developmental targets: 650 hp, 600 lb-ft of torque, and a 200-mph top speed. Ford's SVT team overachieved on the first two, reaching an SAE-certified 662 hp and 631 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. To get to that number, the aluminum GT500 block was bored out from 5.4 to 5.8 liters. A larger supercharger (2.3 liters versus 2.0), driven more quickly (2.64 times crankshaft speed versus 2.33:1) and allowed to sustain higher boost pressures (14 psi versus 9), was bolted on. The V-8 has a bigger intercooler and got high-lift cams from the Ford GT supercar, and it uses a higher-capacity oiling system -- including piston squirters recently removed from the 5.0 Mustang -- to help keep all the metal in a solid state.

Another program requirement was to continue to avoid the gas guzzler tax, which seems ridiculous on a car with 662 hp. Then again, who wants to send a thousand bucks to the IRS when you can spend it instead at the Chevron station? To that end, SVT increased the compression ratio from 8.4:1 to 9.0:1, ditched the center driveshaft bearing, and installed gearing so long that it feels like the tachometer is only reading half of the cylinders -- try to hit 2000 rpm in top gear and you'll be at triple digits. As a result, the EPA highway rating has crept up 1 mpg despite the extra 122 hp.

Unfortunately, the fun factor crept down a chunk, too, thanks to those tall gears. Fans of frequent shifting won't love the GT500 -- you could easily survive using just two of this Mustang's gears: first gear for around town, second for highway. First gear is good for 62 mph -- a ratio chosen to eliminate a time-consuming shift on the mostly wheelspin-free 0-to-60-mph run. Second gear takes you to 95 mph. You can reach more than 130 mph in third at 7000 rpm, the GT500's lofty new redline.

Seven grand from a huge stroker of an V-8 means piston speeds approaching those of a NASCAR engine, so all of the rotating masses are forged for lightness. And strength: at maximum load, the supercharger takes some 150 hp to run, so the engine block is actually supporting more than 800 horsepower. The high revs and enormous power output come with a corresponding buildup of heat, and for that reason the GT500's engine can be revved past 6250 rpm for only eight seconds at a time. Each second spent over 6250 rpm must be redeemed with a second under 6000. If the full eight seconds are used up, the engine computer will lock out the overrev function until the engine has been under six grand for fifteen seconds and has ventured once under 5000 rpm.

Since the 662-hp rating occurs within this overrev band, you can technically have all 662 hp only for eight seconds at time. That would be a problem except that the only gear in which you'd be able to exceed 6250 rpm for more than eight seconds would be fourth while going uphill -- as you approach the shift point into fifth at 173 mph. The GT500's top speed is reached in fifth just below the 6250-rpm limit. In other words, the eight-second limit is irrelevant.

In order to prevent the Mustang's driveshaft from literally vibrating itself apart at the high rotational speeds (more than 8000 rpm) it experiences at 200 mph, SVT replaced the old two-piece steel unit and with a one-piece design made from twelve layers of carbon fiber. Not only does the new tube tolerate 3500 lb-ft versus the old one's 2250, it weighs 14.4 pounds less. And, get this: even with CV joints at each end to lessen NVH, the carbon driveshaft costs less than the old steel one. This might be the world's first use of carbon fiber for cost savings.

The last GT500 was electronically limited to 155 mph, but were it set free, it would have topped out between 175 and 180 mph. To hit 200 (reasonably) safely, the SVT team revised the Shelby's aerodynamics, achieving a slight reduction in overall drag with a considerable reduction in front-end lift. To ensure that the engine receives maximum cooling, the Shelby survives without a radiator grille. Sometimes, that makes it look extra menacing. At other times, it looks like the Ford sustained an injury while punting a Prius out of the fast lane.

The GT500's suspension has been thoroughly revised, and models equipped with the performance package include two-mode adaptive Bilstein dampers that provide a compliant ride even in their firm mode. The package also replaces the standard clutch-type limited-slip differential with a Torsen unit that Ford found to be more consistent on track. A track package goes one step farther with coolers for the diff, engine oil, and transmission.

SVT engineers assured us that the extra coolers are only necessary for serious track use -- for which the GT500's 15.8-gallon fuel tank might be slightly undersized. On a road course, the monster V-8 will suck the tank dry in just over twenty minutes. If that seems fast, then ponder this: at top speed, the upgraded injectors will spray enough fuel into the cylinders to empty the tank in just thirteen minutes.

Make that thirteen very hard-core minutes. From behind the wheel, there's nothing delicate about the GT500 -- each and every one of the controls is heavy, and despite the addition of an over-center spring, the clutch pedal is monumentally stiff. The shifter is slightly lighter than before thanks to longer throws, but it still requires a hefty shove, and the robust six-speed manual gearbox penalizes rushed shifts with a grind.

The Recaro seats are comfortable and extra-grippy, thanks to new Alcantara bolsters, but the Shelby's interior is dominated by the sound of the engine -- it's as if the NVH experts at Ford added in an extra dose of each, all of them rough, gruff, hoary, and tough. The GT500's shifter vibrates in your hand, and the engine's immense mechanical noise is drowned out by a thunderous roar from the quad exhaust tips. Even when you're cruising on the highway in top gear, with the engine barely above idle, the booming exhaust note means you won't forget what this car is capable of.

What the GT500 is capable of is 200 mph for $55,000. In that regard, it's unquestionably in a class of one. Ford feels that the Shelby GT500 doesn't compete in any way with the Boss 302, despite the fact that they're both Mustangs. We agree, because as sophisticated and well-rounded as the Boss is, the GT500 is equally muscle-car brash. It's neither rewarding nor particularly involving, but it's unbelievably fast. If cheap speed is your thing, boy, does Ford have a Mustang for you.

Surprisingly, we liked the convertible better, even though it's limited to 155 mph, because with the top down you can clearly hear the supercharger screaming, and the brutal exhaust note combines with the rushing wind to mute all of the engine's harshness. Best of all, the droptop's dramatically softer suspension allows the big Mustang's front end to rear up under acceleration, which makes the GT500 feel even faster and more extreme. Let's be honest -- you're not going to drive a car with a live rear axle at 200 mph. We certainly didn't. So get the convertible, lower the top, press the button to put the shocks in soft mode, and go a summer evening cruise in the fastest car in town.

The current generation of the Ford Mustang received a facelift in 2010 and two new engines in 2011, but that still hasn't been enough to stop many pony-car buyers from visiting Chevrolet dealerships instead of Ford showrooms. Last year, the Chevrolet Camaro outsold the Mustang by 17,811 units, and in the first two months of 2011 the Chevy is outpacing the Ford to the tune of 1545 cars. It should come as no surprise, then, that Ford has launched a series of updates for the 2013 Mustang.

The Mustang faithful will notice that the 2013 model wears a different front grille and fascia, along with narrower headlights. A new front splitter on all models is said to reduce lift, while the trunklid now has a gloss-black panel between the taillights, a treatment previously exclusive to special models like the California Special. The GT also features functional heat extractor vents on the hood. Two more hues join the paint palette, the handsome Deep Impact Blue and the attention-grabbing Gotta Have it Green.

Some of the most striking visual upgrades concern the Mustang's lights. HID headlights are now standard on all models, and are coupled with piercing two-bar LED running lights at the outside of each headlight housing. Out back, the Mustang's popular three-block taillights now use LED center blocks surrounded by an LED ring. The outer rings serve as the taillights, while the inner blocks are used for the brake lights or sequential turn signals. The middle LED block switches to white when reverse is engaged, acting as a "hidden" backup light. Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak says the new LED array is costlier to produce than the former incandescent setup (it uses 12 unique circuit boards), but was deemed necessary "to show that this is not the Mustang of yesterday."
The final lighting trick is the Pony Projector lamp, part of the Comfort package on Premium versions of the Mustang. It uses a small LED underneath each exterior mirror to project the outline of a Mustang logo on the ground when the car is unlocked remotely or a door is opened.

Can You Feel Eight Horsepower?

Pericak said that lessons learned from building the 444-hp Mustang Boss 302 helped his team extract another eight horsepower from the Mustang GT's 5.0-liter V-8 engine, bringing peak power to 420 hp while torque remains unchanged at 390 lb-ft. The secret to extracting the extra power was removing the piston oil squirters and reprogramming the engine-management computer.

Though it's nigh on impossible to discern a two-percent power increase the V-8 engine in a manual-transmission test car was just as strong and flexible as we remembered. The Mustang ripped through each gear with ease, hurtling toward and past the speed limit in seconds -- and frequently triggering the traction-control light on rain-slicked roads outside Portland, Oregon.

Our test car had optional Recaro front seats, which are among the most comfortable and snug bucket seats we have ever sat in. They feel perfectly suited to the Mustang GT, as they keep driver and passenger from sliding around during aggressive driving.

We also drove a convertible equipped with the base 3.7-liter V-6, which is unchanged and continues with ratings of 305 hp and 280 lb-ft. That car had an automatic transmission; notably, the automatic now has a SelectShift mode labeled S that upshifts later and downshifts earlier for sporty driving. A toggle switch on the side of the shift lever allows for manual gear changes, and Ford promises that the transmission won't override the driver's input. On our test loop, the transmission didn't upshift when we hit the engine's rev limiter, nor did it downshift when we stopped at an intersection in third gear.

We asked Pericak why the Mustang doesn't have steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters instead of the toggle switch. He said that he felt any car with paddle shifters ought to have aggressive shifts like one would find in an Italian exotic or a Formula 1 car--and the Mustang's automatic transmission wasn't up the task of such quick gear changes. It's worth noting, though, that both the Ford Taurus SHO and Flex EcoBoost offer paddle shifters.

Trickle-Down Performance

Ford is expanding the availability of high-performance options to more trim levels of the Mustang, even making features from the Shelby GT500 and Boss 302 available on V-6 and GT cars. Part of the reason is to satisfy driving enthusiasts who can't afford the entry price, insurance, or fuel for the more powerful Mustang models. "We thought a lot about...keeping the Mustang affordable to young people," Pericak said.

One of the changes is that the Recaro bucket seats from the Boss and Shelby will now be available on any Mustang coupe. A new GT Track package for models with a manual transmission adds the Torsen limited-slip rear differential, engine oil cooler, larger radiator, Brembo Brake package, and more-aggressive brake pads from the Boss 302. The Brembo Brake package is now available on Mustang GT models with an automatic transmission in addition to those with manuals; the package adds larger brakes, unique stability control programming, and sportier suspension tuning. The V6 Performance package will likewise be made available for cars with automatics; it comprises a strut-tower brace, thicker anti-sway bars, summer tires on 19-inch wheels, and a shorter final-drive ratio.

Premium trim levels of the 2013 Mustang feature a new 4.2-inch LCD screen in the instrument cluster, which can display everything from warning messages to fuel economy, as well as a special Gauge Mode that allows drivers to monitor engine parameters. While some fields, like voltage or intake air temperature, are displayed in numerals that change frequently, oil temperature and pressure were shown only as "Normal" on our test car. Another function of the LCD screen calls up Track Apps, which comprise a visual accelerometer, braking timing, and acceleration timer. The latter can even display on-screen "Christmas tree" lights to emulate the timed starts at a drag strip.

Other upgrades include a hill-hold system for cars with manual transmissions, which applies the brakes automatically for two seconds to make it easier to start up steep hills. There are two new optional sound systems: a 370-watt, eight-speaker Shaker unit, and a Shaker Pro version with 550 watts and nine speakers. Chief engineer Pericak claims the stereos are so loud that the engineering team had to beef up the Mustang's door panels to prevent rattles.
Want to Go Faster?

Ford also has revamped the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500 and Boss 302. The GT500, for its part, has its supercharged V-8 upgraded from 5.4 to 5.8 liters, bringing power to an astounding 650 hp and 600 lb-ft. Ford says the coupe version will top 200 mph, though the convertible is limited to a more reasonable 155 mph. Changes to the 444-hp Boss 302 are more subtle, mostly concerning the car's paint schemes. Body-colored roofs are now available, as are reflective "hockey-stick" decals designed to recall the Trans-Am-winning Boss 302 race cars of 1970.

Still an American Icon

Even if its sales fall behind those of the Chevrolet Camaro, the Ford Mustang remains an American icon. Our fleet of brightly colored test cars drew attracted plenty of attention on the streets around Portland, and Ford hopes the redesigned 2013 models will be equally successful at drawing customers to showrooms.

New For 2013

Styling updates for 2013 include new front and rear fascias, an enhanced grille, standard HID headlights, and LED taillights. The 5.0-liter V-8 in the GT has been bumped up to 420 hp, and a new GT Track Package is available. The six-speed automatic can now be shifted manually. The available Track Apps allows the driver to monitor performance measures such as 0-to-60-mph acceleration, braking, and g-force.

Overview

The Ford Mustang is the purest distillation of the American muscle car on the U.S. market. The Mustang was completely redesigned a little more than two years ago, but Ford never wants the Mustang to get old, so the 2013 model has seen some visual updates, with a new front grille and fascia and narrower, HID headlights. As for powertrains, the base Stang gets a 3.7-liter V-6 that pumps out 305 hp and is touted as the first 300-plus-hp engine to return 30 mpg. The GT marks the return of the 5.0-liter V-8, which has been bumped up to an impressive 420 hp. At the top of the lineup is the Shelby GT500. Its supercharged V-8 has been upgraded from 5.4 to 5.8 liters and now offers a mind-blowing 662 hp. For even sharper performance, an SVT package with special tires, lighter wheels, a higher axle ratio, and stiffer springs is available for the GT500. The 444-hp Boss 302 offers exceptional performance at a price that undercuts the Shelby by some $10,000. The base and GT models can be had with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic; the Boss 302 and the GT500 come with the manual only. Available as a coupe and a convertible, this pony is a solid competitor that won’t back down from its Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger competitors.

Safety

Front and side air bags; ABS; traction and stability control; tire-pressure monitors; integrated blind-spot mirrors; and the SOS Post-Crash Alert System are standard.

You'll like:

From mild to wild

Exhilarating Boss 302

Mind-blowing Shelby GT500

You won't like:

Interior could be more refined

Ubiquitous

Key Competitors For The 2013 Ford Mustang

Following its numerous appearances leading up to and in the Need For Speed feature film, the custom “Need for Speed” 2013 Ford Mustang GT sold for $300,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s auction this past weekend. The winning bidder was Dave Flynn of Columbiana, Ohio.

Leading up to the highly anticipated reveal of the 2015 Ford Mustang today, dozens of renderings and leaked photos have provided a handily accurate idea of how Ford’s latest pony car would look. In the midst of the frenetic craze surrounding the 2015 Ford Mustang coupe's unveiling, it could have been quite easy to overlook photos of 2015 Ford Mustang convertible.

Concurrent with the upcoming Need for Speed movie and Need for Speed Rivals video game, a fully customized special edition Ford Mustang will set the pace at this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400. One of the movie’s stars, Ramon Rodriguez, will drive the pace car at the Ford EcoBoost 400 race.

What cocktails go best with all this car chatter? Automobilemag.com is here to help with weekly recipes. Remember, this is for talking about cars, not driving — always designate a driver. This week's cocktail comes courtesy of Miami's MC Kitchen by way of Delta's Sky Magazine. Called the Pachamama, the Peruvian-inspired cocktail is sweet, flavorful, and great for sipping. Muddle together two ounces of Florida sweet corn kernels, a whole strawberry, two ounces of molle berry Aya, and a dash of oregano. Add in an ounce and a half of each Pisco Capurro and Verjus soda and shake with ice. Strain into a martini glass and enjoy.

calculator

Change the values below to adjust your monthly payment. All default values are based upon national averages.

Recalls

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT" AND 108 ¿LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.¿ THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR (TRS) THAT WAS CALIBRATED OUT OF SPECIFICATION FOR REVERSE GEAR.

Consequences

IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DRIVER PUSHES THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE ¿R¿ POSITION AND THE VEHICLE¿S TRANSMISSION DOES GO IN REVERSE, THE ¿R¿ MAY NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, OR NAVIGATOR MODELS AND/OR THE BACKUP LAMP ON THE REAR OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATOR, OR MUSTANG VEHICLES MAY NOT ILLUMINATE. THESE CONDITIONS INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR A PEDESTRIAN BEING STRUCK DUE TO THE VEHICLE¿S NOT SIGNALING IT IS IN REVERSE.

Remedy

FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE TRS AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

Potential Units Affected

10,500

Notes

FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:20

Component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

Summary

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT" AND 108 ¿LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.¿ THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR (TRS) THAT WAS CALIBRATED OUT OF SPECIFICATION FOR REVERSE GEAR.

Consequences

IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DRIVER PUSHES THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE ¿R¿ POSITION AND THE VEHICLE¿S TRANSMISSION DOES GO IN REVERSE, THE ¿R¿ MAY NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, OR NAVIGATOR MODELS AND/OR THE BACKUP LAMP ON THE REAR OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATOR, OR MUSTANG VEHICLES MAY NOT ILLUMINATE. THESE CONDITIONS INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR A PEDESTRIAN BEING STRUCK DUE TO THE VEHICLE¿S NOT SIGNALING IT IS IN REVERSE.

Remedy

FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE TRS AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

Potential Units Affected

10,500

Notes

FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Recall Date

12-31-1969:21:35:50

Component

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE INFLATOR MODULE

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequences

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 13, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S21. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V802 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.